“I’m pretty happy about getting seven kids through to nationals,” RLC Head Coach Kevin Tate said. “We took eight to regionals and seven got through. They just really stepped it up [at regionals]. We had a couple of kids who I didn’t know if they would make it through and they did. I’m very happy for them and proud of them.”

Pampkin was one of those whose regional outlook was a bit hazy for Tate, But, he said, Pampkin “flipped it up on beast mode” and won the 137-pound regional championship. RLC took third as a team at regionals. Cash and Stimpson were also champions. Tozzi was runner-up, Warren and Pease finished third, and Procasky was fourth.

With national seeding based a lot on rankings, returning All-Americans and regional champs; Tate sees his wrestlers getting seeded lower this year.

“The Midwest has really been overlooked this year,” he said. “For example, Justin Cash has been ranked pretty much seventh all year long. I don’t put a whole lot of stock in that. He’s better than that.”

It only matters on the mat, where Cash and company will have the chance to prove themselves starting Friday. The team will leave from Ina on Wednesday with meetings all day Thursday and weigh ins Friday morning.

For all things athletic at The Lake, visit RLC online at www.rlc.edu/warriors.